Apparatus for handling loose materials



Feb. 10, 1931. A, B, EssfzLTnNE 1,791,665

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING LoosE MATERIALS Filed March 4, 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sw om. amb,

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Then@ @mi zw mm Nm Feb. 10, A1931. A. B. EssELTlNE' 1,79655 APPARATUS FOR HANDLING. LOOSE MATERIALS Filed March 4, 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Feb. 10, 1931. A, B. EssELTlNE 1,791,665

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING LOOSE MATERIALS Filed March 4, 192e 6 sheets-sheet 4 mum Feb. 10, 1931. A A. B. EssELTlNE 13791665 l-PARATUS FOR HANDLING LOOSEI MATERIALS Filed March 4, 1926 6 SheetsfSheet 5 APPARATUS FOR HANDLING LoosE MATERIALS Filed March 4, 19.26 e sheets-Sheet e /WWW relatively rough track without derailing, it

' also affords a solid base for the loading mechtor is rigidly mounted 'to' 'said truckrear wardly of the forward axles and forwardly A of the rearward axles and is contained withinthe lateral bonndaries ofthe truck.v- Thearmature shaft 15 extends longitudinally ofthe truck and the motor is soplaced that yitfrequires a minimurnof height 1n order that a` loading chute may be placed over the motor and rope actuating mechanism and stillallow the device to be used in relatively low coal where-the head room is limited,` The'eompartmeHts-for the controller 16 and rheostat 17 are at opposite sides of the motor and are cast integral with the motor shell and are also contained within the lateralboundaries ofthe truck 9. Said motor is connected by an armature pinion l8-to a gear 19 to rotate a shaft 2O Iand bevel pinion 21. The bevel pinion 21 ismeshed with a bevel gear 22which is keyed to a drum shaft23. In Figure 4 it may be seen that the drumA shaft is hollow and is provided with holes 24 which leadto the several rope drums and driving mechanism bearings. A lubricant may be injected into' this shaft Aunder pressure and when forced through the holes: 2.4,'v lubricates the rope drums and driving'meclianism bearings.

vA tail line drum 25, head line drum 2.6 and control line drum 27y are loosely mounted on the shaft 23. inthe preferred form shown the head line drinn 26 isarranged in `the center, and the tail and control line ldrums on the right and` left sides, respectively, this arrangement being especially adapted for co-y operation with the ropes in thelmore Yusual operative positions thereof, asfwill hereim after more fully appear. l v;

Suitable means are provided for driving each rope drum from the shaft 23, the means herein shown comprising a friction'clutch for each rope drum. Said clutchesjareoperated independently of ,eachother so thatany rope drum may be operated-at any time mdependi ently of the `other drums. lhisis an ini-. portant feature in loading devices of the scraper type having three ropes since itpermitswide variations in the movement of the scraper such jas in vcleaning up looser coal aroundcorners or places distantfrom the ordinary path o f the scraper; thus thescraper may gathercoal which would otherwise have to be shoveled into its path, and it also may be allowed tomove-out o`f. itsk normal path 'the exception-*that a brakeis providedin connection with the` headV and :tail ropev drums and having interlocking engagement so as to be applied as the respective clutches are released,lthus lpreventinglthe rope drums V.from overrunning and tangling up the rope as it is being unwound from its respective drum. Thisfbr'aking."action is not suiiicient to prevent rotation of the drum but is simply s'uiiicient to takeup slack on the idle rope and keep the rope taut. Thecontrol ropedrum is provided Vwitha brake which is independent of'the" cl'uteliiY llhe ,clutchesiherein/ comprise ineach' instance an expanding friction clutch ofthe 4single toggle shoetype.

A flange 28 is'iritegralwith each rope drum. An outerfperiphery of this flange 29 'serves as brake drum,whilefan'inner peripherygj() serves as one'fa'ce fora clutch. The other clutch face comprisestwo shoes 31, 31, which are covered with suitable friction material. Said'shoes are pivoted atlon'e extremityV to a common point on afspide'r 32b'yva pivotpin 33.` Said spider yis keyedto theshaft and rotates with this shaft. Adjustable togglek links34 eonnect'the other extremities of these shoes tol a vsliding piece 37 ywithpivot pins 35 and 36.` 'Y Saidy piece37 slides longitudinall ly' in a guide38`integral with the spider 32 and isactuated'by a link 39,7piv'oted to this piece by 'a pin', 40and pivoted to a clutchl collar/41 byfa pin42. Sliding of the clutch col-l lar inV one vdirection forces vthe sliding piece 37'in an outward direction ,and thus forces the clutch shoesf31, 31V against the inner periphery 3Q ',offltheV flange 28 to apply the clutch and drivethe rope drum.l Sliding the collar in they opposite` directiongreleases the pressure oftheclutchshoes 31, y31 on t-he-inner' periphery of the-brake drum and allo-ws the ropejdrum toy ridefree on the drive shaft 23. This; clutch collar is feathered tothe 4 shaft 23 andis actuated'by a clutchfork 43 throquglia' shifting collar 44. Said fork is actuated by suitable levers, which are herein shown as controlled fronithe righthand side provided with the foot lever47 to release the Vclutch when" theVv foot pressure l is removed from thfelever.: Y Y

--Thef-interlocking brake mechanism for operatingv the 4head and tail line ldrum clutches .includes anv arml 48 carried at the.

lower end'of each clutch fork 43. AA rod 50 connects this arm with vrthe lower y extremity 49 of a brake shoe'l. Thislconnecting rod is preferably provided-with a turn-buckle 50@ to permit adjustment thereof. .'ili'eiupper extremity of the brakeV shoe 51l is connected to the truck trame by a rockinglink 52 which .rocks `on a pin 53. Rocking of the lolut-ch Lfork 43 causesthe rod :50.to rockV the brakeA shoe land thus' apply or release ythe pres- Means are also provided for holdingthe control rope drum 27 against rotation ywhen desired. In'theconstructionyshown I have provided a brake` for this purpose consisting of theouter periphery 29 of said' drum V*disengage this vbrake when having thereonay brake band v55. One end of .this brake band is connected to atixe'd point :56. 'The other endy is connectedto one end-lof 'a'crank lever '57 pivoted tothe rod 58. The

foot lever 59 is pivoted to the other endet leased'from the' foot 1ever759. Y

i 'as The drum drive shaft 23 is also connected Vfor propelling this portable power device through a sprocketfO keyed to-a collar 6l which is integral with :av-drum 62loosely mounted on the shaft 23; :The outer periphn ery of this drum 63 serves as a'brake drum while the innerl periphery 64 serves as a clutch face. Thel sametvpe of singletoggle shoe typeclutch hereinbetore described in connection with the rope drums, is usedon vthis fdrum,therefore need not be described in detail. It-will be'seen that when the clutch is appl-iech the drum '62 rotateswith the shaft -23 and rotates Ythe sprocket 60. A driving chain 65 engages this sprocket and drives a sprocket 66 keyed to the rearward axle 10 and vthus rotates this a-Xle. The `forward and rear axles are connected together a sprocket 67,v drive chain 68 and sprocket 69.

The lever 7 0 operates this clutch from the -rearend of the power device.v A braking meansis provided for this propelling mechanism. Y Inthe-construction'showm I provide a brake for this purpose' consistingkot the brake drum 63 having a brake lband 771 thereon. Saidy brake is operated by ahand wheel 72.*'Rotation of this wheel inone direction -appliesthe'brake while rotation in thc other direct-ion releases it.

I The'truck 9 is provided with'an inclined chute or guide 73 for the scraper.. This guide is arranged'so thatwhen the scraper reaches ythe truck itis pulled up along this guide7 carryingthe materialwith it. The-end ot this guideis soplaced that-the from ythe scraper is discharged into aV receiving device `such as a car'74, This `chute isfwideenoug'h to accommodate va relatively large scraper and the actuating mechanismfor thes'craper'lines is completely contained beneath and within the lateral Iboundaries of 't-'hei chute; This.

gnidechute -ispref'erably provided withl a de'- tah'able lower end `seetionf75 whichnay :be

the scraper Vhits thelprojecting ends 81 ofthe Vrods 78, the --springs'83 are:

moved 'out-lof; the way whenrthe truck is being "transported but which can be moved; jto the f. Apositionshow'n 'inFigures "1 and' 2 when the VInt-he :orni'fshown thisV lend section-@his s' madefup-of two#section-sP75a and: 75125; #These v`=L-ections'are -detachably'mounted to thefforfk -ward end ofthel guide chute 7S-by, the pro- -jection 7 5 which titsintotheislotsvwd. v Ain yupper extension 7 6 isalso :provided'g-suitably f1 '1 vsupported 'for movable adjustmentfat *the upper. orrearendo'f thechute to providelmo're overhang when 'discharging'Lmaterial.' into carssV l`Herein,` said extension is f'hinged and maybe raised tothe positionshown iniEigure l orlo'wered when travelling* VVhen'it-isdesired` to move the truckythis end section is 'removed andp'laced on-the guide chute. v f 'A setotstops 77 are provided Withthis chute to stop the scraper 'when it has reached thefendof its run onthe guidelchute; These stops each consist Vof a rod 78-which is mount- -ed for longitudinal movementl inbrackets'y 79 and 8O.v One end Slofthe rod is bent atright "angles'to extend into'the path of thescr-aper. 1

This end slidesin the slot 82-i1rthe vvguide chute 73'.' A collar 84 is fixedv` to-'rth'el rod'-y -anda' spring -83 Vis interposed betweenlthef collar fand the bracket 79.15' It Iwill thusbeseenthatas compressed v land thescraper-is stopped; 1f 1 L 'l n AThe loading" device is alsoprovidediwith an extension arm v'85 similarj to that shown and described in Davis application Serial Num- .ber 352,413, tied June19,119.20,hammadirection ychanging device "or pulley 86 vover which the head line Qypasses. This extension `arm is so arranged that it may befsli'ol inward-V e' ly during the travelling operation of 'the loadg-l ing-'mechanism 'This arm 'is supported for longitudinal adjustment 'in' a-y socket i (not shown.) at thetoplof the .guide chute 7 3. The

lower end of thisarm proj eets rom'thissocketand is'beveled and enlarged'sofasto strike the end of thefsocketand preventfthe com-VV lplete'w'ithdrawal of the arm. yA"flocking piece (not shown") "-is :provided 'to holdthis arm-fin `position vduring 'the 1loading operation.v /A head line Q passes from thescrap'er about the "lj directionchangingfdevice 86 over the guide v roller 87to'the headlinefdrum 26.k i It willbe seenvthat this line comes from the .top oi" its drum 26 and extends -rearwaially', while the tail line 'Sand controlline come roni'thebottom of their respectivedri'ims, and extend forwardly. y Thus the rotationeofthefshafft 23in the proper direction will windthe rope" on any drum thatis clutched to this shaftfV I bottomy .of the rope drum '25 overA ther/Oilers l 88' and 89and :through-'thesheaves 9() and' 91. l As seen in Figure 1,7 the control line' passes from thefbottomotthe drum Z'over the rollfers S92 and 93 and! through the "sheaves 94'and 95. These sheaves are detachably fastenedto l -the loading deviceandaremounted so they will have a certain amount of' flexibility and` will tend to follow the draft ropes as shown in Figure 9, which illustrates details of.'A construction of sheaves 91.` and 95. From this .figure it will be seen -that a sheave block 98 is pivotally mounted to the eyebolt 100, eccenltric of its central axis, by apin 99. The inside diameter of the eye in the eyebolt 100is larger than the outside diameter of thepin v 106, 106 secured to angle bars 107 rearwardly of brackets 106, as shown. The shea-ves- 90 and 94 are fastened'to the brackets 101. These sheavesmay be reversed kwhen desired Figures 7 and 8) by removing the securing bolts" 102 from theapertures 103y and replacing'said bracket in av reversed direction bybolting-in the apertures 104. v Each bracket is provided with two apertures for the; sheave eyebolts so the sheaves may remain in thesame lateral position with respect to each other after they .are reversed.- The sheaves 96 and 97 (Figures 7 and 8) are added to be usedin pillar drawing or retreat work as will hereinafter appear. The use and operation of my invention is -as follows: l

, A typical installation of thev apparatus is shown in Figure 10, in which the truck with its incline and -control mechanism is run to the mouth of a mine room, which is being worked in accordance withthe room and pillar system of mining. The truck isprefen ably placed on a short section of trackv 109 arrangedin the room'neck or entrance 110 at right angles to the trackin `the haulage way. The direction'changingdevices 4, 5, 6 and 8, with the guide ordei'lector 111 are placed in position as shown. The coalhas been mined from the `working face orwell` 112 and is lying on the floor nearvthis wall. The scraper is then brought to theposition shownfin Figure 10.. The pulling forward of this scraper causes it to be loaded withloose coal. When this scraper is full ofcoal it is necessary to turn it so "that it can be moved toward theentrance of the room. This turning must be gradual and is accomplished by allowing the direction changing device 6 to move away from the direction changing device 8. These movements are controlled. at the loading device as follows: At the starting point shown in Figure10, the friction clutchV for the head linedrum 261is thrownA in *"When the scraper reaches the direction changing device 6, the pressure on the foot lever 1s released and the control rope 1s unwound,

as the head rope vis drawn in, moving the olire'ction changing device 6 away from the direction changing device 8. This causesthe scraper toturn away from the room and proeeed toward the room neck. The deflector 111-*is used to Vaid the scraper in turning the` corner and' prevent it from hitting the props Yorother obstructions The taill ropeis engaged by this' guide or deflector after the scraper has been'headed toward the room neck. TheV continuing winding of the drum 26 pulls the scraper on the guide chute 73 where it engages stops 77 and discharges its load into the car 74.

. Afterthe scraper hits the stops 77,` the movement of the scraper is reversed. This isaccomplished by manipulating the lever 45 to disengage the head ropevdrum clutch and using lever 46 for engaging the tail rope, and thus'wind inthe tail ropev3. During av portion of this backward travel the tail line 3 engages the defiector guide 111 until kthe scraper itselfy engages and passes around said guide. As the'tail line is being wound' on its drum 25 the control line clutch is also engaged to wind said line on its drum 27. When the direction changing device 6 nears the di- 'rectionchangingy device 8 the clutch on the control line drum is released and pressure is applied to the control line foot lever 59 to apply the control drum brake and hold the direetion changing device 6 in position. While this is being done the tail line continues to vdraw the scraper back to its starting point.

-. In case it is desired to load from'the left ofthe machine as in Figure 11, the position of the control rope and tail rope maybe changed without changing the normal functions of the three drums. In this figure it is seen: that the control and tail `ropes are rearranged soas to cross each other, the conf trol rope being paid olf of the right hand side of the machine while the tail rope is paid olf` the left hand side of the machine. In order `to change the position of these ropes it is simply necessary to reverse the sheaves 90 and 94 by removing the angle brackets from the apertures 103 and replacing them over the apertures A104 in a reversed position. The ropes may then be crossed under the chute 73 to payolf the ropes as required.

My device may also be used in retreating systems of miningas distinguished from advancing systems of mining. Figures 12 and 13 show the device loading coal in one form of aA retreating system of mining while the vmo Figures 7 and 8. show enlarged details of the sheave and rope arrangement. Therefore, theconvenience and advantage of the auxiliary removable sheaves 96 or 97 for each side of the machine projecting beyond 'the Vlateral boundaries ofthe device may be clearly seen in this system of mining. The principle of turning the scraper and controlling the ropes is the same in this system of mining as in the advancing systemv of mining. The. location of the sheaves, direction changing devices and control and tail ropes are the only changes necessary. The control and tail ropes are both paid 0E the same side of the machine.

This is accomplished by reversing the -sheave 90 and inserting the third slieave 96 between the sheaves' 94 andr95 (Figures 7 and l2). 'Ilie tail line therefore passesv through the sheave 90 and 96 aroundthe direction changing devices 4 and 5 to the rear end of the scraper l.V The control line 7 passes through the sheaves 94 and 96l around `the direction changing device 8 to the movable direction changing device 6. When the material is to be gathered on the'left hand -side of the'loader,

1 the position of the controland tail ropes are reversed so'they pay oif the opposite side of the device, as can be Vseen from Figures 4 and'l3.

I have described'in detail aparticular convaried in many particulars without depart ing from the spirit of the invention asset forth in the claims Vhereto attached and I therefore do not limit myself to the construction shown.

I claim as my invention: I l.--A device for handling loose material comprising a scraper with draft means for kmoving the same,'a. control line, apportable power device for said scraper, an incline exl tending over said power device, drum-s within the limits of said incline at'tlierear end thereof, guide devices for said draft Vmeans comprising a pair ofsheaves on oppositesides Vof the lateral boundaries'of said incline`,'the

i -Y Y, sheaves in each pair having their axes offset from each other and including an innei` sheave and an outer sheave, said sheaves having pivotal mounting on said portablepower device eccentric of their axes and the inner sheaves having reversible connections to extend toward one or the other side of said portable power device, and auxiliary sheaves pivotally connected eccentrically of their axes on each side of said incline and detachably'ccnnectible intermediate each of said first mentioned pair of sheaves.

2. In combination with a loading device,

a scraper, a portableV power device for said prising a driving motor having, a sli-aft placed longitudinally` ofV said power device, a sec- `the rearward end for said draft means comprising a-pair of struction embodying my invention but it is side of said incline, the of course evident that tlievconstruction may be Vtruck eccentric of 4. A device for handling loose materialV lcomprising a scraper with draft meansfor ond shaft parallel with said motor shaft, a geared connection between saidmotor shaft and said second pendicular to said second shaft lying in a horizontal plane, a bevel gear connection be-V tween Vsaid third shaft and said second shaft,

winding devices comprising three rope drums shaft,y a third shaft pertruck propelling mechanism or any of said rope drums, and braking means forsaid truck propelling mechanism on said shaft.

Adevice Vfor handling loose material* comprising a scraper with draft means for movingthe same, 'a control line for controlan incline extending over said .ling the movement of said scraper, said con- `trol-line being independent of. said .draft means, a truck '9o' i `truck,`a plurality of drums for operating said s draft and controll means, said drums being within the limits of said incline and near thereof, and guide devices sheaves on each sheaves in each pair having their axes offset from each other, and each of 4said sheaves having a flexiblepivotal mounting on said their axes.

moving the same, a control line, saidlcontrol line `being independent ofsaid ,draft a means,V a truck, an incline extending over said truck, a pluralityof power driven drums for operating saidk draft said drums'being within the limits of said incline land near the rearwardV end thereof, land guide devices for saiddraft andcontrol means near the forward end of said incline comprising a pair of sheaves on each sideyof said incline, the sheaves in each pair having their axes offset from each other whereby s aidsheave and an outerslieave, each of saidsheaves vhaving a flexible sheaves form an inner pivotalmounting onsaid truck eccentric of vand State of Illinois, this 1st dayof March,

scraper including atruck supported on wheels and axles, draft mechanism therefor comand control means,

'their axes andthe inner sheaves'having re-f versible connection to extend toward one ory the other side of said truck. 

